Crutch



United States Patent 7 I CRU'ICH James Frazier Senour, deceased, late of Santa Clara,

Calif., by Ruth S. Maxwell, administratrix, San Francisco, Calif., assignor to Mary M. Senour, heir of James F. Senour Application February 24, 1958, Serial No. 717,031

' 2 Claims. 01. 135-52 The present invention relates to improvements in a crutch. It consists of the combinations, constructions, and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed.

It is a well-known fact that many people are unable to use an ordinary crutch as a walking aid, since the crosspiece at the top of the staff fits into the arm-pit of the patient; and its continued use will produce injurious nervous effects in the arms and shoulders of the user; and, in certain cases, the patient will become nauseated.

As the cardinal object of the present invention, the crutch is provided with a platform at the proper elevation on the staif so that the patients forearm may rest on the paltform so that the patients weight may be supported, without subjecting the arm-pit area of the patient to injurious pressure. This cruch presents several physical characteristics; namely, a good balance from an area of the forearm which is easily placed in the correct position on the platform and has good alignment; it is strong, light and very comfortable and affords a better balance to the user than other artificial prosthetic appliances.

Other objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds. The novel features will be particularly pointed out in the claims hereunto appended.

Drawing For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved crutch which is adapted to be used as a walking aid;

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the crutch; and

Figure 3 is a fragmentary end elevational view of the upper portion of the crutch.

While only the preferred form of the invention has been shown, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed description The conventional crutch includes a staff indicated generally at A, which defines a pair of coplanar supports having their lower ends connected together by a ferrule 11. The upper portions 10a of these supports are spaced apart, and are joined together by a rigid crosspiece 12. The intermediate parts of the supports 10 are usually interconnected by a hand-grip 14. The crosspiece 12 of the conventional crutch is used in the arm-pit of the patient; but as pointed out in the objects, this often causes injurious effects on the patient.

Accordingly, an elongated platform B is disposed between the upper portions 10a of the supports 10, and is fixed thereto by screws 15 or other suitable fastening means. This platform is arranged at an elevation so that the patients forearm may rest on the platform with case. It will be noted that the platform is arranged substantially at right angles relative to the length of the staff A, and is disposed adjacent to but below the crosspiece 12.

16 through which the patients forearm may be inserted.

Thus, in the event that the patient should accidentally tend to drop the crutch, it may be caught on the patients forearm by the crosspiece.

In its structural details, the platform B has a length about the same as that of the patients forearm, whereby the patients elbow may rest near one end of the platform, for example, the end 17, while the opposite end 18 of the platform may be grasped by the patients hand on the same forearm. Moreover, the length of the platform B projects substantially equal distances on opposite sides of the plane of the coplanar supports 10, thus giving a good balance to the crutch.

For the purpose of holding the platform B in place, a brace C has been provided between the platform and portions of the supports 10 disposed below the platform. It will be apparent that the brace C is arranged in a position so that it will not interfere with the resting of the patients forearm on the platform. As shown, the brace C is substantially U-shaped, having its cross-bar 19 fastened to the underneath face of the platform B by a suitable clip 20. The lower ends 21a of the side arms 21 of the brace C may be anchored to the supports 10 by any suitable means. If desired, the ends 21a may be disengaged from the supports 10, and thusthe platform could be at least partially folded relative to the staff A to thus occupy a folded position.

Summary of operation Having thus described the various parts of the crutch, the use thereof as a walking aid is summarized briefly as follows:

The patients forearm is inserted through the opening 16, with the patients elbow coming to rest near the end 17 of the platform. At this time, the patient may grasp the end 18 of the platform with the same hand, and thus the forearm will have a support along its entire length on the platform. The patient may walk about, with the platform B taking the patients weight and without the crosspiece being applied to the arm-pit area of the patient. Thus the arm-pit area will be relieved from all injurious pressure. Of course, the staff A may be made of suitable height for the patient, or the length of the staff could be made adjustable, if desired. The platform B is disposed at substantially the elevation of the patients elbow, when the patient is standing in upright position.

What is claimed is:

1. In a crutch: a staff adapted to be used by a patient as a walking aid; the staff defining a pair of coplanar supports having their lower ends connected together; the upper portions of the supports being spaced one from the other; and an elongated platform mounted between the upper portions of the supports fastening means securing an intermediate portion of the platform to the supports; the platform being arranged at substantially right angles relative to the length of the staff; the platform being disposed at substantially the elevation of the patients elbow, when the patient is standing in upright position and the lower end of the staff rests on a supporting surface on which the patient is standing, whereby the patients forearm may rest on the platform with ease; the platform having a length about the same as that of the patients forearm, whereby the patients elbow may rest near one end of the platform, while the opposite end of the platform is grasped by the patients hand on the same forearm; the length of the platform projecting substantially equal distances on opposite sides of the plane of the coplanar supports, thus giving good balance to the crutch; the upper portions of the supports projecting above the platform to thereby prevent the patients forearm from slipping laterally from the platform during the use of the crutch; the platform being solid faced throughout its entire length and width to thus constitute a firm rest for the entire length of the patients forearm; and rigid brace means provided between the platform and the supports to maintain the platform against swinging in either direction about said fastening means while the platform is in use by the patient.

2. In a crutch: a staif adapted to be used by a patient as a walking aid; the stafi defining a pair of coplanar supports having their lower ends connected together; the upper portions of the supports being spaced from one another; a rigid crosspiece secured to the upper ends of the supports; an elongated platform mounted between the upper portions of the supports and being pivotally secured thereto; the platform being arranged at substantially right angles relative to the length of the staff when the platform is in use by the patient; the platform being disposed at substantially the elevation of the patients elbow, when the patient is standing in upright position and the lower end of the staff rests on a supporting surface on which the patient is standing, whereby the patients forearm may rest on the platform with ease; the platform having a length about the same as that of the patients forearm, whereby the patients elbow may rest near one end of the platform, while the opposite end of the platform is grasped by the patients hand on the same forearm; the length of the platform projecting substantially equal distances on opposite sides of the plane of the coplanar supports, thus giving good balance to the crutch; the platform being disposed adjacent to but below the crosspiece, with the upper portions of the supports coacting with the crosspiece and the platform to define an opening through which the patients forearm may be inserted, whereby the crosspiece may be caught on the patients forearm in the event that the patient should accidentally tend to drop the crutch; the upper portions of the supports projecting above the platform to thereby prevent the patients forearm from slipping laterally from the platform during use of the crutch; and releasable brace means provided between the platform and the supports to maintain the platform in fixed position relative to the supports while the platform is in use by the patient; the platform being swingable into at least a partially folded position relative to the staff when the platform is released.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 751,942 Renno Feb. 9, 1904 979,959 Johnson Dec. 27, 1910 1,463,675 Coleman July 31, 1923 2,378,486 Jones June 19, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS 123,814 Great Britain Mar. 5, 1919 

